Cables supporting or suspending structures such as antennas and bridges often vibrate due to wind and rain. In the case of cables for bridges, the traffic passing the bridge also contributes to the vibrations however 95 percent of the vibrations are caused by wind and rain. These vibrations are undesirable as they may result in damage on the cables and fatigue.
It is known to try to reduce these vibrations by introducing viscous or frictional dampers to bridge cables or stays. However, such means do not prevent rain-wind induced rivulets. Such rivulets change the aerodynamic profile of the cable which causes the cable to vibrate.